The HI

Sundrk, in order top keep from combusting, use your empty vape stem to first draw some heat off the unit. Then load and vape.

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That's a great idea! I'll give it a shot.

Tested the glass stem and I have to say I'm impressed by the performance. The glass lets you see the vapor stream flowing down, it's really cool. I like being able to see what's loaded in the bowl, you can tell easily how much has been vaped and if it needs to be stirred. Best stem I've used yet.

Does anyone know where to buy 10mm screens in bulk? I'm looking for a 100 pack but could only find international sellers.

Noooo. I feel like a moron ; having had the chance to acquire one of these (likely one of the first) with the order of my new HIsaber (which JUST came in ..more on that later!)
Alan, I don't know why I never realized this (their 'spill-less' nature)! With all of your extremely thorough explanations, & even some slight hinting that I would like these (& I definitely do), I can't believe I didn't get one. Typical style, for me. I lack patience sometimes. My first HI, I missed out on the U-Tube. This time, the wine cork tube.
If you knew how much Alan & I had talked about these wine cork tubes, you'd bang your head against the wall too.
My advice for all future jedHIs is to take your time ordering, as well as when learning how to wield your HIsaber. Patience is required for both. The force is strong as of late; I like it.

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Thanks for the wise words. I am discussing tubes with Alan as well, and the more he explained it the more I realized it was what I wanted. But I too almost passed.

There are a lot of decisions to be made, taking your time and hashing it out seems to be worth it though.

Sundrk, I had problems with combusting until someone mentioned to blow on the top of the HI to remove excess heat that has pooled there [if I've left it there long enough for that much heat to build up].

Anyone have a picture/video of the wine cork tubes in action? Those tubes look to be too long, I can't quite tell where the second screen is on pg 180.

I would like to be able to stir the bowl as well, would I have to pop out a screen to unload herb? Maybe two screens is not the best solution. You mentioned via email that you have a 3/8" x 1/4" ss rings that fit on the inside of a turbo tube as a stopper. I'm wondering if this would allow you to keep the tube on the HI instead of having to pull off the bowl each hit.

The PNWT is so similar in size to the HI. Holding it flush against the top of the HI, it is a nearly air tight seal. These two need to become one! The roasting tube wouldn't need to be more than a 1/4 inch long for water tools, the longer it is the more torque on the heater.

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The first cork is completely inside of the HI body during use so it doesn't look as long. The glass roasting chamber tube is centered on the interface between the first and second corks. There is a screen on either end of the roasting chamber. The first screen stays in the first cork when you remove it to load the tube. It can also be used without the first cork and then it is essentially a U Tube since I use the same 1" long glass tubes. This would allow you to stir if you desire.
The only concern I have with using the 3/8" x 1/4" ss ring is that if it falls out of the tube right after using, then you have a 400F ss ring bouncing around.
The glass and wine cork tube is the way to go for using a PNWT.

@GratefulVapor - I should have given you more of a sales pitch on the wine cork tube. Glad to hear your HI arrived safely.

Hey guys I got some new stems from Alan I though I'd share. Amboyna burl stem and a glass stem, both tapered to 14mm. They work great with the van tran bubbler.

I've still been igniting every once in awhile, any tips to prevent this? I'm running the HI with a constant 12v wall wart ps. I haven't tested the glass stem yet (just got it today), but judging from the bigdaddyvape vids on youtube, it looks like it rips!

Now that I've had the HI for over 6 months I'd like to give some constructive feedback to help improve the design. The actualy heat tube is pretty delicate on my unit and is prone to bending off center. Anyone else have this issue? It seems like adding more structural support at the base would act as a heat sink in a way and negate the HI effect. I'm worried that one day the bending heat tube will strip the holes where the tube screws into the unit. I think 4 screws in an X pattern instead of 2 would help secure it better.

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Thanks for the feedback on the design. I have since made another change that makes the center tube very rigid and secure. The following photo shows the details of the core designs.

I included my entire collection of log vape cores to show the design progression.

The AromaZap core consisted of a solid cylinder of brass with a hole drilled through it. A brass washer with a center hole and 6 air intake holes surrounding it was soldered to a brass tube. The brass tube is flared out at the bottom to hold everything secure. The outer sleeve that was set into the wood was a copper coupling. The core was held in place with a clip ring.

The PD core consisted of a series of flat and star washers held together with a 3/8" ss tube with a bar through two holes near the top and flared out at the bottom. There were two air intake holes in the top washer which was larger than the rest. The outer sleeve set into the wood was a ss sleeve and the core was held in place with a clip ring.

The Toasty Top core also consisted of a series of flat and star washers but was held together by flaring the tube on the top and bottom. The larger top washer had a center hole that was surrounded by 6 air intake holes. This only allows the TT core to accept the small stainless steel roasting tubes. The outer sleeve was ss and pressed into the wood with a friction fit. The core was also press fit into the ss outer sleeve so that no clip ring was required. There was also a ss washer on the very bottom so that no wood was exposed to the hot air.

The UnderDog core is from one of his first units. It used only star washers for the core mass. A bottom washer was soldered to a 3/8" SS center tube that had two large holes cut into either side. The first star washer placed on the center tube had been cut and twisted to act as a spring and keep the space open by the air intake. The remainder of the star washers stacked onto the spring with a plain washer that had 4 notches at the very top. The entire stack of star washers and the plain washer at the bottom was pressed into a 3/4" sleeve. Unfortunately, the spring star washer got loose and allowed the internals to become loose. I didn't want to burden Dave with the repair, so did it myself. I just installed a full stack of star washers along with a debris screen and closed it back up. The star washers sort of acted as a screen and allowed air right through. The outer sleeve is held in place with a clip ring. He is doing something different with his cores now. I'm not exactly sure of his current configuration but I know it has changed from this version.

The first Heat Island core consisted of a 3/8" center tube that was mechanically attached to a 3/4" ss washer and 6 holes were drilled into the center tube. The 6 holes removed 66% of the metal conduction path and created an island that was difficult for heat to escape. A ss ring was first placed at the bottom of the hole to limit the amount of heat that could be conducted down. The center tube and washer was dropped in next followed by a 3/4" ss sleeve. It worked well until the sleeve got loose which allowed the center tube to become loose.

The next HI core had the outer sleeve mechanically attached to the bottom washer so that a loose sleeve wouldn't allow the center tube to become loose. Friction fit just wasn't the way to go as humidity changes could cause the core to become loose. The wood will eventually become charred from the direct heat conduction from contact with the wood. The longer it is energized, the faster the wood will degrade.

The next change was to make just a heater cover which is a 3/8" center tube that was mechanically fastened to a perforated aluminum plate. The plate was then fastened to the wood using ss wood screws so that it would never become loose. The air intake was just 3 slots cut into the sides. The slots remove about 90% of the metal at that location making it even more difficult for the heat to be conducted away. You can see the difference in the color of the metal above and below the air intake. The aluminum plate does allow some movement of the center tube as it is not totally rigid.

The current HI ss heater cover is mechanically attached to a 3/4" ss washer that has 2 notches for screws. There is also a dimple near the top to hold the screen in place and prevent the ss roasting tube from going in any farther. It is very rigid and allows no tube movement.

The glass heater cover uses the same aluminum plate to attach it to the HI using ss screws. It is important that there be a little bit of movement to the glass cover. The aluminum prongs provide support but also allow for some movement so the glass doesn't break. The glass doesn't do such a good job of conducting heat, so the aluminum only gets to about 130F. The air comes in through the bottom, so the aluminum isn't even in the air path.

Hopefully, this will also show the compatibility of the roasting tubes between the different models. It can also be used for those of you trying to decide between the glass and ss heater covers.

Sorry again for making everyone wait so long. There never seems to be enough hours in the day. At least there is no cost to get on the list other than your patience.

Yes, really instructive !
So, I'm a pro to ask confirmation just to make sure I understand : the wine cork does touch the heater cover, right ? But it does also provide easy roasting without having to maintain the distance manually ? (that's great ! ) Is there any alteration of the wine cork considering the heat transfer ?

Yes, really instructive !
So, I'm a pro to ask confirmation just to make sure I understand : the wine cork does touch the heater cover, right ? But it does also provide easy roasting without having to maintain the distance manually ? (that's great ! ) Is there any alteration of the wine cork considering the heat transfer ?

thanks again !

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The hot ss of the HI heater cover only touches the glass tube inside of the first cork, not the cork itself. The vapor path is glass and a ss screen. The wine cork just holds everything together and insulates your fingers from the hot glass.

@sundrk - Glad you are liking the glass roasting tube. The air flow is hard to beat. I purchase 3/8" ss screens in bulk and them hammer them flat until they are 10mm diameter. The screens must be very flat to work well with the all glass roasting tube. You can use the face of a second hammer if you don't have an anvil or some smooth hard metal surface to hammer them on. It is really more like just tapping the screens. Don't hit it with the edge of the hammer head or it will tear the screen. The hammering also makes the screen shiny which seems to help it stay clean longer.

Yes, Yes ! this I knew this too. Was just thinking : if with the time, the wine cork would need to be changed of if it get something with time... Anyway it is pretty affordable material and great invention !
" Your pretty Hi is sitting on a furniture... wile your stem, hidden and ready to use, get rest in a wine cork full jar.
Will definitely get one when I'll be able... Times are bit dark let's hope soon spring back the Hi-rise!

Sundrk, I had problems with combusting until someone mentioned to blow on the top of the HI to remove excess heat that has pooled there [if I've left it there long enough for that much heat to build up].

I haven't combusted since...

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yep! i just started doing this on everyone's advice and its helping. No combustion yet

Received my new maple burl HI last night. Classy kit. The whole thing has a connoisseur vibe to it. Alan mentioned the new wine cork and glass tube handles kind of like a cigar. I think that's a good analogy. Feels good in the hand.
It looked so nice sitting on the counter that I had to snap a quick pic so people could see the new tubes. I already want another one.

The first cork is completely inside of the HI body during use so it doesn't look as long. The glass roasting chamber tube is centered on the interface between the first and second corks. There is a screen on either end of the roasting chamber. The first screen stays in the first cork when you remove it to load the tube. It can also be used without the first cork and then it is essentially a U Tube since I use the same 1" long glass tubes. This would allow you to stir if you desire.
The only concern I have with using the 3/8" x 1/4" ss ring is that if it falls out of the tube right after using, then you have a 400F ss ring bouncing around.
The glass and wine cork tube is the way to go for using a PNWT.

@GratefulVapor - I should have given you more of a sales pitch on the wine cork tube. Glad to hear your HI arrived safely.

Thanks for the feedback on the design. I have since made another change that makes the center tube very rigid and secure. The following photo shows the details of the core designs.

I included my entire collection of log vape cores to show the design progression.

The AromaZap core consisted of a solid cylinder of brass with a hole drilled through it. A brass washer with a center hole and 6 air intake holes surrounding it was soldered to a brass tube. The brass tube is flared out at the bottom to hold everything secure. The outer sleeve that was set into the wood was a copper coupling. The core was held in place with a clip ring.

The PD core consisted of a series of flat and star washers held together with a 3/8" ss tube with a bar through two holes near the top and flared out at the bottom. There were two air intake holes in the top washer which was larger than the rest. The outer sleeve set into the wood was a ss sleeve and the core was held in place with a clip ring.

The Toasty Top core also consisted of a series of flat and star washers but was held together by flaring the tube on the top and bottom. The larger top washer had a center hole that was surrounded by 6 air intake holes. This only allows the TT core to accept the small stainless steel roasting tubes. The outer sleeve was ss and pressed into the wood with a friction fit. The core was also press fit into the ss outer sleeve so that no clip ring was required. There was also a ss washer on the very bottom so that no wood was exposed to the hot air.

The UnderDog core is from one of his first units. It used only star washers for the core mass. A bottom washer was soldered to a 3/8" SS center tube that had two large holes cut into either side. The first star washer placed on the center tube had been cut and twisted to act as a spring and keep the space open by the air intake. The remainder of the star washers stacked onto the spring with a plain washer that had 4 notches at the very top. The entire stack of star washers and the plain washer at the bottom was pressed into a 3/4" sleeve. Unfortunately, the spring star washer got loose and allowed the internals to become loose. I didn't want to burden Dave with the repair, so did it myself. I just installed a full stack of star washers along with a debris screen and closed it back up. The star washers sort of acted as a screen and allowed air right through. The outer sleeve is held in place with a clip ring. He is doing something different with his cores now. I'm not exactly sure of his current configuration but I know it has changed from this version.

The first Heat Island core consisted of a 3/8" center tube that was mechanically attached to a 3/4" ss washer and 6 holes were drilled into the center tube. The 6 holes removed 66% of the metal conduction path and created an island that was difficult for heat to escape. A ss ring was first placed at the bottom of the hole to limit the amount of heat that could be conducted down. The center tube and washer was dropped in next followed by a 3/4" ss sleeve. It worked well until the sleeve got loose which allowed the center tube to become loose.

The next HI core had the outer sleeve mechanically attached to the bottom washer so that a loose sleeve wouldn't allow the center tube to become loose. Friction fit just wasn't the way to go as humidity changes could cause the core to become loose. The wood will eventually become charred from the direct heat conduction from contact with the wood. The longer it is energized, the faster the wood will degrade.

The next change was to make just a heater cover which is a 3/8" center tube that was mechanically fastened to a perforated aluminum plate. The plate was then fastened to the wood using ss wood screws so that it would never become loose. The air intake was just 3 slots cut into the sides. The slots remove about 90% of the metal at that location making it even more difficult for the heat to be conducted away. You can see the difference in the color of the metal above and below the air intake. The aluminum plate does allow some movement of the center tube as it is not totally rigid.

The current HI ss heater cover is mechanically attached to a 3/4" ss washer that has 2 notches for screws. There is also a dimple near the top to hold the screen in place and prevent the ss roasting tube from going in any farther. It is very rigid and allows no tube movement.

The glass heater cover uses the same aluminum plate to attach it to the HI using ss screws. It is important that there be a little bit of movement to the glass cover. The aluminum prongs provide support but also allow for some movement so the glass doesn't break. The glass doesn't do such a good job of conducting heat, so the aluminum only gets to about 130F. The air comes in through the bottom, so the aluminum isn't even in the air path.

Hopefully, this will also show the compatibility of the roasting tubes between the different models. It can also be used for those of you trying to decide between the glass and ss heater covers.

Sorry again for making everyone wait so long. There never seems to be enough hours in the day. At least there is no cost to get on the list other than your patience.

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Post like this one are what made me decide to buy a HI as my first log vape. Really interesting info!

...tried to edit this into my last post, but couldn't. Here is another picture from the unboxing. Love my new HI! I've owned/used a few other vapes, most of them are good, but they just don't have the personality and charm that this one does. Excellent craftsmanship Alan.

Happy to say that after blowing air into the opening of the HI before taking a hit will prevent combustion. Might be a good idea to make an FAQ for the HI and log vapes in general. Some useful info on grind constancy and other techniques to improve the log vape experience.

These stems have a glass screen built in, though I bet they restrict air flow more than the 10mm screens. The thing is, 10mm screens are hard to get / expensive. The other stem has a basket screen which is pretty cool. The cool thing about the basket screen is you can poke the screen out when string your material. To make the basket screen work you would have to flip the orientation, idk if it would fit that way. This is all assuming the HI fits into the enano stems, which i was assume so

I can't tell you how many times I've lost material from poking out the screen, just to see all that fresh product dissolving into my bong water

Also what about a 14mm ice pick slide? There has to be some out there with the right diam to fit the HI tube, also with ice pick notches in the bowl, they wold support a screen well without restricting air flow. I love my 14mm HI gog stem but I'd like to look into options with a more secure screen and possible even more airflow for a 18mm water pipe (got an 18mm apix tube coming)

Emailed Alan the other day about acquiring one of these beauties! I ventured away from vaporizing for a little while but can't stand combustion and look forward to vaporizing again. I am truly amazed at the amount of workmanship Alan puts into his stuff, these things are works of art!

@wunderkind - Thanks for posting the photos. Glad the HI and tubes are working well for you. Now if I could find a glass supplier that can get me glass tubing in less that 2 weeks, I will be happy so I can make some more.

@sundrk - Glad to hear you are having luck removing some of the initial heat before the hit. The wine cork tube eliminates any issue of screens flipping since they are 1/2" rather than 10mm. The fine screens help keep the glass and water clean too. I'm not sure about an ice pick slide, but my friend has a 14mm single hitter bowl that works about right if you place a screen and small amount of material. The end of the HI heater cover seals onto the glass of the bowl and it provides a single hit.

@BirdFLU - Thanks. Glad to have you back to vaporizing again. I don't want to combust any more.

I do have some other news to announce. I have been using the same old tiny wood lathe since 1999. I finally bought myself a new one. It is a Nova DVR XP. Everything is digital and there are no belts to change for speed. The motor shaft is the lathe shaft so it is incredibly smooth and quiet. The precision is so much better than my old one. Should help speed things up in the wood turning process. It has already reduced my stress level as I don't need to worry about getting things aligned each time or getting my fingers pinched in the belt while changing. The only challenge I had was getting it onto the work bench by myself as it weighs as much as I do. It is now sharing my 30" x 42" work table with my two other lathes which doesn't leave much open space.

Back to turning and hope the glass company gets my order correct this time. May be time to look for a new one.

I finally finished reading the thread from the very beginning. The amount of development that has happened in the HIs lifetime is incredible. You must be so proud of what you have created Alan! Also credit to the JedHis who have provided so much feedback and suggestions.

The new cork stem will be a must for me. Great for mindless operation (we all have 'that friend' who is loved dearly but cannot be trusted when it comes to glass, heat or knives lol).

Have fun getting to know your new lathe Alan. Glad you can stress less now.

Has anyone had a chance to test the new corks? My pet peve is with screens and poking them through when stiring. Hopefully a better way to secure screens or eliminate them with glass screens could be possible. I wonder how the enano gog with glass screens work

@sundrk I used to have a hard time keeping screens in place until I learned to use a 'Pick'. After years of using bowls of all types I would use all kinds of pokers and stir sticks But a 5 inch thin steel, sharp tip 'pick' works great for me.

I still tear up or poke out the screens in my roasting tubes and stems every time I grab a blunt end poker or toothpick, not when I use a pick.

Don't know if that helps, Just when I read your post I knew that feeling of frustration I had when I had to keep putting the screens back in. Using a pick stopped that for me.

@sundrk I used to have a hard time keeping screens in place until I learned to use a 'Pick'. After years of using bowls of all types I would use all kinds of pokers and stir sticks But a 5 inch thin steel, sharp tip 'pick' works great for me.

I still tear up or poke out the screens in my roasting tubes and stems every time I grab a blunt end poker or toothpick, not when I use a pick.

Don't know if that helps, Just when I read your post I knew that feeling of frustration I had when I had to keep putting the screens back in. Using a pick stopped that for me.

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Any recommendations? I'm currently using a santa cruz dab tool, the ball point tip

Any recommendations? I'm currently using a santa cruz dab tool, the ball point tip

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I have a GREAT recommendation. I too know the frustration you are experiencing. Not necessarily, from my HI Roasting Tubes. However, I have experienced a lot of screen - frustration in general. At one point, I couldn't stand the problems anymore, to the point where I stopped stirring completely & would simply waste product. During my 'dabbing daze', I purchased a Stainless Steel dabbing tool because I couldn't afford the Titanium dabbers ATM. *Skillet Tools* was the brand, & they made all sorts of different style picks (I believe the one I am talking about is called "Scoop Dogg"; they all have some silly/stupid name).
The 'Scoop Dogg', has a pointed Dabber on one end, while the other has a *Mini - Scoop* (which also has a sharp edge; think of shovels). The mini - scoop, is intended to be used with concentrates (obviously). However, it is best utilized for stirring (IME/IMO)! I am happy to report, that this fairly cheap (SS not TI) is an amazing tool for stirring contents of a small bowl / stem. When placed into the stem, & slowly twisted, its shape/angle of the scoop makes it act similar to a drill (what I mean, is that it moves the material resting on the bottom near the screen, slowly upwards). Also, its size is PERFECT for the GonG Roasting Tube; which happens to be my favorite. It's as if this tool were made for this purpose. It can COMPLETELY stir the contents, even if stuck to the sides & screen. Not only that, it's 'sharp edge' aids in the mixing process by chopping up any chunks that it may come across in the bowl.
I am not a big user of concentrates, but I happily adapt tools 'made for dabbing'(etc) to suite my needs. I have meant to share this info. which I randomly stumbled upon, with the jedHI council for some time now. Thank you @sundrk, for reminding me to do so.
This scoop-dabber-stirrer-thing, has truly made stirring a breeze. I hope all jedHIs can acquire one (if needed), in due time. They are widely available, & quite well made for the price. Name of the company = SkilletTools